Signal flag and method of maintaining same



D. F. JONES SIGNAL FLAGAND METHODy oF MAIMAINING SAME March 13, 1928.

Filedv Nov. 5, 1925 www Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

PATENTy OFFICYE.

DANIEL F. JONES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOLE.`

SIGNAL FLAG Ann ivrii'rnon or MAINTAINING SAME.

Application led November 5, 1926. Serial No. 146,296..y

This invention relates generally to iinprovements in signal tiags and methods of maintaining same and relates more particularly to flags ofthe type used in railroad service.

Signal ilags such as now extensively used in railroad service Lcomprise a statt and a tlag cloth or hunting nailed at one end thereto. This hunting is only of the area of the ilag to be displayed, which is usually about 16 inches square. This is the size which it has been found is necessary to attract attention when the train is moving at usual speed. Due to the speed of the train, the force of the wind, etc., a constant whipping and flapping occurs. The result is that it quickly frays at the free end thereof'and rapidly wears down. After the length of the flag is reduced by such wear, to that dimension where its use for its intended purpose must be discontinued, itis discarded as waste and a new flag substituted in its place. Such flags' whenthe lengthot' service they yield is considered, are expensive. The flag is usually discarded when it has been reduced to half its normal size', the remaining half being a total loss.

The purpose of these signal ila-gs is to inform railroad othcials and others whether' the train is a special, a section of some train, etc. This is an'important function and upon it may hinge the safety of the train. To operate 'at highest efficiency the signal flag should never be greatly smaller than its initial size. Yet it is the practice to use them until they have been reduced to about half size. Hence for a great part of the timesuch signal flags, as heretofore constructed do not fully serve their intended purpose.

rlhe primary object of the invention is to provide a signal tlag of this kind, wherein an excess or supply of hunting is so associated with the staff that such excess or vsupply may be drawn on from time to time as the Hag Wears down to replace the worn down portion which is cut off and thus restore or maintainthe flag to be displayed to vfull flag size.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novelfbunting for the flag, in the form of a strip greatly in excess ofk a singleilag length, with top and bottoni selvage margins and with transverse bands of more closely woven portions than the body portions of the hunting between said bands which are similar to selvage weave, whereby the bunting may be cut olif along such. bands to form new selvage ends, and at the same time prol vide `contrasting tone stripes which lrender the flag more visible and more quickly attracts attentionthereto.

y Still another object of the invention is to provide a flag of the kind wherein the eX- cess' or supplyof hunting is wrapped or rolled upon one end of the st-aii' and is enclosed and protected by a detachable casing, which may be removed so that the desired amount of hunting maybe withdrawn or unwound `from the hunting excess or supply after which the casing is again applied to the sta y These objects of the invention as well as others, together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully .appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings: y i Fig. l is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of signal flag embodying therein the preferred form of my invention.

` f Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the signal Hag on a smaller scale as viewed from the hunting slot side thereof.

\ Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal rsectional View as taken on the line kS--Zof Fig. l.

Fig. e is a view in elevation on`an enlarged 'scale of agfragment of flag "hunting l and which will bemore specifically referred to later.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of reinforcing the flag along transverse stripes or zones. Referring now in detail to that embodicompanying drawing :.-l indicates as a whole the stafl' of the flag and Qindicates the fiag cloth or hunting of theilag. The staff kis `cylindrical in cross section and may be made of any suitable material, preferably ment of the invention illustrated in the acand secured therein in any suitable manner. i

The huntingv is then rolled or wound upon the top end "of the stad as shownk at 5 in Figs. 1 and 3, thus providing thereon the excess hunting forming'the supply Awhich is drawn upon from time to time to maintain the llag to be displayed to the proper length shown in Fig. l. To prevent the hunting rolled on the stall' from telescoping thereon I provide a llange collar 6 on the stall to support the bottom end ot the rolled on hunting.

The hunting rolled on the stall' is enclosed in a. tubular metallic casing 7 ol' proper diameter and said casing snugly lits in a lierrule S having a substantially tight friction lit upon the etait. The top end ol said casing is closed by a wall t) as shown. In one side oi the easing is a longitudinally extending tlanged slot 1U that extends from a point near its4 top end downwardly t-o open through the bottom end, which bottom end of the casing as before described snugly lits in hut is detachable from the errule 8. An amount of flag cloth or hunting is unwonnd from the stall and extends through the casing slot l0 to provide the desired length ot flag to he displayed.

The Hag cloth or hunting employed here in is ot' a novel arrangement. It is ol suhstantially open weave and has top and bottom selvages or margins 2 and 2l and transversely extending hands ot selvage woven portions 2, which are spaced longitudinally the desired distance apart. The lields or portions 2d between said hands being ol coniparatively coarse or open weave, I prefer to malte the displayed portion oi my improved signal flag about eighteen inches square and I find it desirable to space said hands about three inches apart so that to maintain the flag to the correct size, six of such fields must be exposed, the free end of the tiag being delined by one of said selvage hands 2. It is to he understood that these dimensions are merely illustrative. vWhen such a flag is in use it flaps in the Wind and alter continued use its end as defined by the outermost lield or open weave portion 2d becomes frayed and ragged. Instead ot' discarding the entire flag, said outermost lield or open Weave portion is cut oli1 along the outer edge ol the next selvage band portion and the casing 7 is removed from the stall and an amount of hunting equal to that cut oit1 is removed from the excess or supply on the stati to make the flag full length again alter which the using is applied and the Hag is once more complete. This conniensates l'or the Worn out parts of the flag and this renewing may he repeated until the excess or rolled on supply is exhausted. Thus the life of a flag embodying my invention is greatly extended compared to that of a standard signal llag as now used. The flapping ot the flag in the wind cannot act to draw out from the casing any amount of hunting because this is prevented by the tight fit of the staff in the socket, which cannot turn therein.

The hunting made described has another advantage the selvage lilic band portions being ot' a closer or more dense weave than the lield portions between said hands,

imparts a transverse relative stillness to thc hunting so that the said lields may he ol a coarser and more open weave than was heretofore possible. Thus the rvind or moving air can more lreely pass through thc [lag so that the flapping is reduced and tei;- tile material may he employed in the hunt ing` witlioutn'ialting it ioo llimsy. i'tnothcr l'eature is that the selvage hands not only reinforce the hunting as described but they impart a different color tone but not color to the llag as a whole which is advantageous because it provides that contrast which makes the flag more visible and thus it more readily attracts the attention olz the ohserver thereto.

In the form ot my invention previously described the transverse reintorcing hand portions are formed by` associating certain of the threads ot' the l'ahric closer together than the body oi the 'abric. I may howF ever secure the desired reinforcing ell'ect by providing a lfabric ot the usual l'orm and folding portions thereof' hacliwardly upon adjacent portions as indicated at. l5 in Fig. 5. These lolded portions are preferably stitched by means oi a double line of stitching as indicated at 16. In this construction as in the other the longitudinal edges are preferably provided with selvage bands 2a.

My improved llag has many advantages; its period of usefulness is greatly increased and it eliminates the necessary and frequent replacementA otl tlag as is now the custom. The hunting being reinforced as described makes it strong and durable and at the same time eliminates the necessity of the suhstantially close Weave and heinming along the top and bottom margins now necessary in standard signal flags as new used.

lilhilc in describing my invention, I have referred to many details ol' construction as well as i'orm and arrangement o1" the parts thereof7 I do not "wish to he limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A signal flag embodying therein a strip of' hunting in excess of a flag length, one end of said hunting being disposed upon itself to lorm a supply and the other end forming the flag proper and means for holding said supply and from which mav he withdrawn an amount of hunting suiheient to maintain the flag proper at its desired length.

2. A signal Hag embodying therein. a stall, a strip of hunting in excess ot a flag length, one end of said hunting strip being rolled upon said stall to form a supply and Cil llt

the other end forming the Hag proper which is maintained at proper size by Withdrawal of the hunting from the supply on the staff.

3. A signal iiag embodying therein, ak

stati', a strip of bunting in excess of a lieg length, one end of said bunting strip being rolled upon said staff to form a supply and the other end forming the flag proper which is maintained at proper size by Withdrawal of the bunting from the supply on the staff and means on the staff preventing teleseopingr of the supply on the staff. n

4:. A signal lieg embodying therein, a

stall', 'a strip of bunting in excess of u Hag A length, one end of said bunting strip ybeing rolled uponsaid staff to form a supply and the other end forming the flag proper Which is maintained at proper size by Withdrawal of the bunting from the supply on the staff and a collar on the stadi below said supply and engaged thereby to prevent telesooping of the same and a` casing removably mounted on the statt and enclosing Seid supply and having a longitudinal slot through Which said other endV of the hunting extends.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this first day of November, 1926.

DANIEL F. JONES. 

